News

After an online celebration last year, Alexandria’s First Night celebration is back, fireworks and all on New Year’s Eve.

“I’m thrilled First Night is back,” said Laverne Chapman, chair of the board of First Night. “It took us two years to come back, and we’re ready to come back.”


News

Alexandria Town Crier Ben Fiore-Walker was largely silent during the pandemic. Now he’s back, bell and call and all.

Earlier this month, Fiore-Walker stood at the reviewing stand in his Colonial uniform and opened the Campagna Center’s Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town. While he’s spoken at numerous online events and small outdoor concerts over the past year, the Scottish Christmas Walk was his first large public gathering since he previously walked through Old Town ringing his bell and declaring, “Hear ye! Hear ye!” at the George Washington Birthday Parade in February 2020.


News

Families and friends looking to celebrate are in for an annual holiday tradition. For the third year, Ice & Lights: The Winter Village At Cameron Run is open with light displays, Christmas trees and ice skating.

The winter village (4001 Eisenhower Avenue) opened in mid-November, and will shut down on Jan. 2. The ice skating, however, will remain open on weekends until Feb. 27. General admission to the park is $8 and ice skating is $12.


News

Alexandria’s transmission rate remains “High” for the second week in a row, as the first case of the Omicron variant has been detected in Virginia, which just surpassed 1 million cases of COVID-19.

There have been 1,000,694 reported cases of COVID-19 in Virginia since the pandemic began in March 2020. There have also been 14,957 deaths statewide.


News

Understaffing within the Alexandria Fire Department put people and buildings at risk during a fire at Crystal City’s restaurant row on 23rd Street earlier this month, according to two unions representing more than 500 Alexandria and Arlington firefighters, medics and fire marshals.

In a sharply worded press release on Friday, Dec. 10, officials from the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 2141 and IAFF Local 2800 wrote that AFD’s inability to fully staff their department led to “multiple close calls” at a fire on Saturday, Dec. 4, in the 500 block of 23rd Street. No one was injured in the blaze, which caused $1.8 million in damages.


News

(Updated on Dec. 23) Florence King, a 2018 Alexandria Living Legend and 2021 City Council candidate, has died.

King, who was in her early 70s, died at her Alexandria home on Thursday morning, Dec. 9, after a brief illness, according to friends. The news was a surprise to many city leaders, activists and friends.


News

A local realtor is hosting a pajama party this month for Friends of Guest House residents.

The nonprofit’s reentry programs help women transition back to the community from prison. The pajamas and cozy socks will go to up to 70 women affiliated with the organization.


News

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria has a clever cat on its hands. Remus, a three-year-old male black cat, has learned a number of tricks with clicker training.

“Just like a dog, cats can learn tricks through clicker-training, and Remus is such a clever cookie that he’s been doing just that,” AWLA spokesperson Gina Hardter told ALXnow. “In exchange for learning tricks like Sit, Spin, and High Five, Remus has been teaching the staff at the AWLA how to give treats, give more treats, and don’t stop giving treats.”


News

(Updated on Feb. 11) Fans of the “Goodnight Moon” classic children’s book are in for a treat, as there’s a new Goodnight Moon Room installation at the Torpedo Factory Art Center.

The project in Studio 9 is led by longtime Torpedo Factory artist Lisa Schumaier, who said she wants to give visitors a literary hug.


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